Arun District Council has a new chairman and leader

Councillors voted at the Annual Council meeting on Thursday evening (May 16) and a new chairman and vice chairman were appointed. The meeting can be viewed on the council website.

Outgoing leader, Alison Cooper, started the meeting and gave thanks to all those who supported her during the civic year. She paid tribute to the many people and organisations that she has had the pleasure of connecting with.

Councillor Cooper announced that she will be donating £1,250, raised throughout the year, to her chosen charity, AJs Legacy.

The vote was then taken to appoint Dr James Walsh as chairman of the council for the forthcoming year, and the ceremonial presentation of the chains of office took place.

Dr Walsh has been an active and influential member of Arun District Council for 49 years, with a term as chairman for the civic year 2003-2004 and as leader of the council in 2019-2021. The councillor also served as leader of the Liberal Democrat group for many years.

Dr Walsh said: “I am delighted and honoured to have been voted as chair of Arun District Council for a second time. It is a privilege to be an ambassador of the council and I am looking forward to the year ahead and the opportunities that it will bring to highlight our district, the people and the good work they do.

“As part of this role I will chair full council meetings and I pledge to do so in a fair, calm and ordered manner, encouraging all parties to work together for the residents of the Arun.”

As well as being an elected member of the district council, Dr Walsh is also a Littlehampton town councillor and spent 40 years working in the local community as a GP and also supporting St John Ambulance. He also spent 20 years in the Royal Naval Reserve, finishing as director, Royal Naval Medical Reserve Services, for which he was made a Knight of the Most Venerable Order of Saint John by the late Queen in 2012.

Cllr Walsh announced that his chosen charities will be Mind - West Sussex and Littlehampton Sea Cadet Corp.

Following this appointment, Freddie Tandy was then voted as vice chairman of the council and received his badge of office.

Mr Tandy, who has just finished a year as Littlehampton town mayor, said: “Being elected as vice chair of the council is a great privilege and I am looking forward to working alongside, and learning from, Cllr Dr Walsh.

"As a district councillor, town councillor, and having just finished a year as Littlehampton town mayor, I believe my knowledge and experience will benefit the work that James and I will do to represent the district.”

At the same meeting, it was confirmed that Martin Lury will be leader of the council, with Roger Nash as deputy leader.

Councillor Lury started his speech paying tribute to his predecessor, Matt Stanley for his ‘sterling work and calm demeanour’, before going on to deliver his speech.

He said: “I wish to recognise the contributions of Karl [Roberts] and Philippa [Dart], who have excelled in their roles as acting chief executives, helping to move the council forward.

“Let me concentrate on two issues that I consider to be of great importance, tone and culture. I want us all to show due respect to fellow councillors and officers.

"I genuinely believe that we come into office with best intentions of improving the district we represent, albeit with different views on how we achieve this shared goal and moving Arun forward. I use this term advisedly as this administration is composed of what I would term, Arun Progressives.

“I think we are painfully aware of the underfunding of local government and the savings we have had to identify, and this council year will be no different. Hopefully we will be able to explore ways to increase our income and our new chief executive’s experience in regeneration projects should be advantageous.”

Shaun Gunner will remain leader of the Conservative Group, with Jacky Pendleton remaining in post as deputy leader.

The full list of group leaders and deputies is:

Cllr Lury – Leader of the Council and Leader of the Lib Dems

Cllr Nash – Deputy Leader of the Council and Deputy Leader for Labour

Cllr Stanley – Deputy Leader of Lib Dems

Cllr Northeast – Leader of the Labour Group

Cllr Gunner – Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Cons

Cllr Pendleton – Deputy Leader of the Cons

Cllr Wallsgrove – Greens - Leader

Cllr McAuliffe – Greens – Deputy Leader

Cllr Huntley – Independents – Leader

Cllr Brooks – Deputy Leader – Independents

Cllr Goodheart – Leader – Arun Independent Group

Cllr Harty – Deputy - Arun Independent Group